History Literature / UnseenAcademicals

%%* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: The long list of Professor Macarona's academic qualifications includes degrees from and faculty positions at pretty much every magical university on the Disc, including several never mentioned before... and a stint as a music teacher at an all-girls boarding school.

At the heart of the plot is the need for Unseen University to field a team (the eponymous Academicals), but as the story progresses this becomes almost [[IncrediblyLamePun academic]] as the emotional focus of the story shifts to the [[LowerDeckEpisode downstairs staff]] whose work makes the team possible.

* UnderestimatingBadassery: Almost the entire cast of working class heroes thinks that the University Staff are a bunch of upper class fops who have no idea what they are doing, assuming them to be a bunch of old idiots they can either ignore or, in the case of the villains, trample over. Long time readers know that the wizards are, in fact, very powerful with a wide range of magical artefacts at their disposal which they can and will use to make anyone's life very unpleasant in very short order if sufficently angered. In the penultimate football match against the University, the Wizards are injured, mocked, and in one case, poisioned; something almost gauruanteed to bring down the not inconsiderable wrath of the UU. It's actually a little dissapointing that we don't get to see the Wizard's revenge.

** Juliet ("Jules"), a woman in dressed in golden-shining chainmail, is supported after the game by the whole Ankh-Morpork team in red shirts -- this is clearly meant to resemble the '''Jules''' Rimet Trophy, awarded for the Football World Cup (up to 1970). [[http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/03/06/article-1160022-049568020000044D-623_312x524.jpg]]

* SmallParentHugeChild: Mrs. Atkinson is a vicious little old lady who is a particularly problematic presence in the Shove. She's able to be away with this because of her absolutely gargantuan son who threatens swift reprisal on his mother's behalf. This ultimately doesn't save her when she makes the mistake of poisoning the Librarian.

* TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard: The aforementioned Professor Macarona D.Thau (Bug), D.Maus (Chubb), Magistaludorum (QIS), Octavium (Hons), PHGK (Blit), DMSK, Mack, D.Thau (Bra), Visiting Professor in Chickens (Jahn the Conqueror University (Floor 2, Shrimp Packers Building, Genua)), Primo Octo (Deux), Visiting Professor of Blit/Slood Exchanges (Al Khali), [=KCbfJ=], Reciprocating Professor of Blit Theory (Unki), D.Thau (Unki), Didimus Supremius (Unki), Emeritus Professor in Blit Substrate Determinations (Chubb), Chair of Blit and Music Studies (Quirm College for Young Ladies)

* VisualInnuendo: Glenda points out that the proposed uniform design with "UU" on the front resembles breasts. (Especially since wizards are usually rather fat to begin with.) Used again when Dibler's bootleg memorabilia uses the original design, which actually had been the uniform for University teams in the past.

* AwesomeByAnalysis: Mr. Nutt knows ''exactly'' how much force it would take to tear your head off, and what muscles would give him trouble in the process. Fortunately for you, he'd much rather think about how to turn ragtag bunch of wizards into a credible football team.

** The lines from philosophical works Nutt quotes are infinitely more hilarious if you understand German. (One, for example mentions sweet, vanilla-flavoured desserts.)

*** And then there's the literal Brick Joke. After the heated meeting between Ridcully and [[spoiler: Henry, Former Dean and Current Archchancellor of Brazeneck]], Ponder sees Rincewind putting one of his socks back on. [[spoiler:He once stopped an Eldrich Abomination by hitting it with half a brick in a sock. Ponder notes that it was probably the same sock.]]

** To whomever [[spoiler:poisoned the Librarian]], congratulations. You have just angered [[spoiler:a 300 pound ape and his boss, who not just a BoisterousBruiser but also one of the most powerful wizards on the Disc]]. In a word: Run.

* CentipedesDilemma: Trev makes it clear that many of the amazing tricks he can do kicking a can don't work if he thinks about them. The Luggage also falls victim to this in a much more literal way, tripping over its own feet on the field (although usually able to walk.)

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: parodied by Dr Hix: "Evil Empire. It did what it said on the iron maiden."

** Bengo Marcaronah, meanwhile, is fairly blatantly an expy of (in)famous legendary Argentine football player Diego Maradona, though his intellectual pursuits also suggest the mercurial Eric Cantona, equally famous for his football skills, his unusually brilliant philosophical mind that netted him a successful acting career, and his explosive temper, which netted him a lengthy ban for karate kicking an opposing supporter.

* HumansAreBastards: People believe that [[spoiler:orcs]] were created by magically and/or eugenically altering goblins. [[spoiler: At the end, Margolotta reveals that, no, orcs are descended from humans. Vetinari reflects that it's obvious: Goblins aren't ''vicious'' enough (an assessment borne out by ''Literature/{{Snuff}}'').]]

* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: The long list of Professor Macarona's academic qualifications includes degrees from and faculty positions at pretty much every magical university on the Disc, including several never mentioned before... and a stint as a music teacher at an all-girls boarding school.
* LaymansTerms: Inverted, played straight, and subverted with the love letter Trev asks Mr. Nutt to enhance from simply, "I think you are really fit, want to go out? No hanky-panky, promise." When the letter is delivered, the loquacious language is too hard for Juliet to understand and needs Glenda to translate it. Glenda ends up using the exact phrase Trev originally wanted enhanced. The subversion comes from [[spoiler:Nutt had thought about his feelings for Glenda and what he would want to say to her to ask her out on a date with the same promises and she understood it without any issues]].

* UnderestimatingBadassery: Almost the entire cast of working class heroes thinks that the University Staff are a bunch of upper lass fops who have no idea what they are doing, assuming them to be a bunch of old idiots they can either ignore or, in the case of the villains, trample over. Long time readers know that the wizards are, in fact, very powerful with a wide range of magical artefacts at their disposal which they can and will use to make anyone's life very unpleasant in very short order if sufficently angered. In the penultimate football match against the University, the Wizards are injured, mocked, and in one case, poisioned; something almost gauruanteed to bring down the not inconsiderable wrath of the UU. It's actually a little dissapointing that we don't get to see the Wizard's revenge.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Nutt. No S, two T's. Singular, '''not''' plural.
--> "Do you think the second T helps?"
--> "Probably not, sir."

--> '''Lady Margolotta:''' I would like you to teach [[spoiler:the orcs]] civilized behaviour.
--> '''Mr. Nutt:''' I think that would be quite possible. And who would you send to teach the humans?

** Back in ''Literature/FeetOfClay'', Vimes had an affirmative action snit in response to a bigoted complaint and said he'd accept a gorgon in the Watch. Now a NoodleIncident reveals that the Watch recently recruited a Medusa who accidentally turned three people to stone when a gust of wind knocked off her sunglasses.

A Creator/SkyOne film adaptation has been in development since 2011 but has suffered repeated delays. In 2018, Audible released a full-cast dramatization by Dirk Maggs as a website exclusive.

** The only reason Rincewind's Luggage isn't on the team is that it didn't play very well. Otherwise, a box of sapient pearwood that is impervious to all damage and strong enough to defeat armies would have been on the team.

* FashionDesigner: Juliet's {{Fashionista}} traits have been taken to this extreme, as she has an interest in (and surprising talent for) fashion designing.

* RugbyIsSlaughter: The state of football in the beginning of the book. Part of Trev's backstory was that his father died on the pitch.

*** The only earlier reference to the race of [[spoiler:orcs]]. (In the name of one of the flashy sword moves Nijel attempts.)

** On a similar note, the sole previous indication that [[spoiler: orcs]] actually exist on the Disc was a ''very'' oblique reference in ''Literature/{{Sourcery}}'', in which one of the sword-flourishes Nigel cribs from his how-to-be-a-barbarian-hero booklet is named [[spoiler: Orcthrust]].

** The "One Macarona" chant is obviously a nod to how the song "Guantanamera" is regularly re-written to praise various sports and other figures.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mob_football Mob football]] was the medieval precursor to the modern game, and it was about as violent as the Ankh-Morpork version.

* TheBardOnBoard: Trev and Juliet are Romeo and...[[NamesTheSame well, you know]] from rival football teams. A ''lot'' of references to the play ensue, including "two teams, alike in villainy!" (And Trev puts his own spin on "A plague on both your houses" with "I hope the gods shit thin shit on all of you!")

* NamesTheSame: An in-universe example in Bledlow Nobbs (no relation). Anyone who might be mistaken for a relative of Nobby Nobbs is going to include the "(no relation)" every time.

*** On top of that, Maradona's fans would sing "Un Maradona, c'è solo un Maradona" ("One Maradona, there's only one Maradona")to the tune of "Guantanamera." This is directly lifted for the Discworld version ... well, at least until Macarona insists on including his full credentials.

** "Megapode" can be translated as "Bigfoot". Although the Megapode isn't [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti that type of Bigfoot]], being described as bird-like, the idea that the wizards are hunting for Bigfoot is still an amusing one.